653 Suspects Convicted as Nigeria Continues Terrorism Prosecution
The Attorney General of the Federation and Nigeria’s Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has said that 653 terrorism suspects have been convicted during the ongoing 11th phase of special terrorism trials at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
He confirmed that 1,060 suspects were brought before the court as authorities pursue accountability for terrorism-related offences.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice stated the figures on Friday while reviewing the progress of the trials.
Fagbemi said the court had tried 880 cases as of Friday, resulting in 653 convictions, seven acquittals and 27 discharges.
He noted that proceedings remained ongoing and authorities would announce the final figures after the exercise concludes.
The minister described the current phase as apparently the largest since the Federal Government began conducting special terrorism trials.
He attributed the progress to judicial cooperation, effective prosecution and collaboration among relevant security and justice institutions.
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Fagbemi commended the judges handling the cases, particularly under the leadership of Justice Binta Nyako, who has been acting on behalf of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho.
He also praised prosecution and defence lawyers and other institutions involved in the terrorism trials for their contributions.
According to the attorney general, cooperation among the institutions has been crucial to prosecuting terrorism, terrorism financing and related offences in Nigeria.
Accountability
The trials form part of the government’s efforts to strengthen accountability and address insecurity through the prosecution of terrorism suspects.
Fagbemi also addressed concerns about legal representation for defendants, explaining that the Legal Aid Council was providing assistance to eligible suspects in line with its mandate.
He clarified that private legal practitioners were also representing some defendants, ensuring that the cases involved different sources of legal representation.
The minister said defence lawyers had engaged with their clients before court proceedings.
These activities included visits to detention facilities and preparations for the defendants’ cases.
Sensitive Security
He explained that some preparatory activities could not be made public because of the sensitive security considerations surrounding the trials.
On deradicalisation, Fagbemi said the process remained an important component of the broader response to terrorism.
He explained that deradicalisation programmes aim to help eligible individuals understand and regret their actions, enabling them to reintegrate into the society and resume their daily lives.
The attorney general maintained that rehabilitation and reintegration should complement judicial proceedings to reduce the risk of former extremists returning to violent activities.
The ongoing terrorism trials therefore combine criminal prosecution with measures intended to support the rehabilitation of eligible individuals, as Nigeria continues its efforts to tackle terrorism and terrorism financing.
